This invention relates to a novel roll supporting and automatic dismounting mechanism for roll towel dispensers usable in a novel manner. Not only are the rolls efficiently supported for toweling dispensing by structure which lends itself to greater efficiencies in roll toweling production, but such structure automatically dismounts the particular roll being supported after a predictable percentage of toweling dispensing so as to automatically prepare the roll supporting mechanism for a fresh roll of toweling. Furthermore, the improvements of the present invention may include a particular formation of the mechanism providing greater convenience during the roll refilling operation, as well as additional structure components adding to the versatility of the mechanism.
Many forms of roll towel dispensers have heretofore been provided and certain of the same have included roll automatic dismounting after a predicated amount of the toweling has been dispensed from the roll. In general, the dispenser is hollow box-like in configuration adapted for being wall mounted on a vertical wall surface and is usually selectively front opening for gaining access to the interior thereof to perform the toweling roll replacement operations. Furthermore, since this class of dispensers make use of rolls of toweling, the toweling is dispensed in continuous strip form downwardly from the dispenser during the operation thereof.
More particularly, the roll of toweling is rotatably supported within the dispenser with the main longitudinal axis thereof between roll end holders. The continuous strip of toweling is fed downwardly from the roll between a pair of rotatable dispensing rolls and from the dispensing rolls downwardly adjacent a cutting bar and from the dispenser. The roll of toweling is supported freely rotatable so that, upon selective rotation of the dispensing rolls by means of one of various forms of hand operating levers, the strip toweling is dispensed from the cabinet and ultimately severed against the cutting bar after a quantity thereof is so dispensed.
In automatic roll dismounting dispensers, the particular roll of toweling from which the strip of toweling is being dispensed is supported on the roll end holders so that once a given quantity of toweling has been unrolled and dispensed therefrom, the roll end holders, usually through a cooperative specific roll formation, physically release the roll and permit the same to drop downwardly within the cabinet into a particularly provided used roll recess. Since the strip of toweling being dispensed from the roll is still firmly retained between the selectively rotatable dispensing rolls despite the fact that the roll is now resting in this used roll recess of the cabinet, following rotation of the dispensing rolls for the dispensing operation will continue to draw the strip of toweling from the roll while the roll now slideably rotates within this recess, and there will be no interruption of a limited number of further dispensing operations. However, since the roll from which the strip of toweling is being dispensed is now displaced from the roll end holders, a fresh roll of toweling can be mounted between the roll end holders during a maintenance operation, the strip of toweling from the fresh roll positioned directed downwardly between the dispensing rolls simultaneously with the strip of toweling from the used roll and the strip of toweling from both the used and fresh rolls will be automatically dispensed simultaneously from the dispenser until the used roll is completely exhausted of toweling.
Basically, the most common manner of providing an automatic roll dismounting dispenser is to form the roll end holders with a specific cooperable roll formation so that retention of the roll of toweling by the roll end holders at at least one end of the roll is determined by the layers of toweling on the roll. In other words, the roll end holder and roll are cooperably formed such that the roll will be supported by the roll end holder properly rotatable for dispensing until a given number of layers of the toweling have been rotatably wound therefrom, at which time, a portion of the roll end holder is automatically exposed to automatically remove the roll support of that particular roll end holder and the roll thereby is automatically released through gravity to pivot endwise about the other roll end holder ultimately falling downwardly to come to rest within the dispenser used roll recess as hereinbefore described. It is this general form of automatic roll dismounting dispenser to which the improvements of the present invention are directed.